LDP in turmoil/ 27 exco members demand for SC meeting
(Borneo Insider) – The squabble within the Liberal Democratic Party has reached its second stage with 27 out of 34 Supreme Council members signing a written requisition for a Supreme Council meeting to be held.
They want the council meeting to be held this September 6 at its Headquarters in Kepayan so as to resolve the on-going leadership tussle in the party.
LDP deputy Secretary-general Ho Jia Lit announced this on Wednesday in the presence of the 27 which included its deputy president Datuk Chin Su Phin, sacked Secretary-general Datuk Teo Chee Kang and vice presidents, Datuk Pang Nyuk Ming and Datuk Lim Ming Hoo.
Also present was its suspended Wanita chief Nancy Lim and Youth chief, Chin Su Yin as well as publicity chief Albert Kok.
Ho explained that such a requisition is in accordance to the Party Constitution’s Paragraph 40 (A) which reads:
“The Supreme Council shall meet at least once in every three months or, when directed by the President, or on the written requisition of at least one-third of the members of the Supreme Council.
“And, the presence of half the number of members of Supreme Council shall form a quorum for meeting of the Supreme Council. (Paragraph 40 (B)).
When asked whether there’s any possibility that the Party President could ignore such a requisition, its Teo replied that this would not be possible citing that Paragraph 40 (A) of the Constitution made it clear.
“No one can depart from the provision in the Party Constitution, so long as at least one-third of the Supreme Council members requested by way of written requisition for a Supreme Council meeting to be convened, then there’s no choice,” he said.
Teo also clarified that the controversial resolution for a ‘no contest for the top two posts’ was not unanimous.
“In fact, at the moment, we do not have the confirmed minutes. (All we have is a draft minutes in Chinese.) Normally, the minutes will be confirmed and endorsed by the subsequent Supreme Council meeting but this has yet to be done,” he explained.
He further observed that at the last meeting, when the Supreme Council members were asked to give a show of hands, there were at least four members who did not put up their hands.
Admitting that he was among those who agreed to the said resolution, Teo nonetheless said things had changed subsequently.
“Politics is very dynamic in view of the change of circumstances, the overwhelming voices of the grassroots for a leadership change and because of that we respect such wishes. In fact, that resolution has been superseded by events,” he said.
Asked whether they consulted the party’s founding president Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat before attempting to change the party leadership, Teo answered that there were consultations within the party leaderships, but not with Chong.
“I will leave my future in the party to all members and grassroot of LDP. And I believed despite of the challenges and crisis that we are facing currently, I firmly believe democracy will prevail,” Teo concluded.
